


The Start of Something

by In_Dee



Series: Taggert 'Verse [3]
Category: NCIS: Los Angeles
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 08:07:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25950085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/In_Dee/pseuds/In_Dee
Summary: Building bridges of trust.
Relationships: G Callen/Original Character(s)
Series: Taggert 'Verse [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1808557
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	The Start of Something

**Author's Note:**

> Part 3 in the Luc Taggert 'verse  
> Hope you'll enjoy :)

He blindly groped around for the ringing phone, his eyes still on the file in front of him. Activating the call, he grunted what was supposed to be a “hello”.

There was a brief hesitant pause, before Luc’s voice came online. “Is it a bad time?”

Callen blinked slowly and dragged his focus away from the report. He had been deep in the zone, finally persuaded to tackle the mountain of paperwork when the tower of files on his desk threatened to tumble… and when Hetty threatened to motivate him in her own ways.

He rubbed a hand over his burning eyes, glancing around and noting with astonishment that the Mission was empty save for himself. He glanced at his watch and arched an eyebrow upon realizing it was past nine in the evening.

Evening.

Nine.

Callen sat up sharply. “Damn,” he hissed, “I got lost in paperwork.” He had planned on driving down to Coronado to meet with Luc.

There was a soft chime of laughter coming from the other end of the line. “Your lady boss threatened you?”

He leaned back in his chair, stretching out some kinks in his back and tipping the chair up on its hind legs. “Yeah, actually she did,” Callen admitted. He’d groused about the threat of paperwork during their last phone calls and meetings and by now, Luc knew enough not only about the team members he had met during the rescue mission but also about the support staff in the background and about Hetty, to hazard a guess at how it came to be that Callen sat down to do paperwork.

Callen glanced at his watch again, making some calculations before sighing and shaking his head regretfully. “I’m sorry, Luc. I should have put an alarm so I could leave on time. If I head out now, I can be in Coronado shortly after eleven, I guess.”

They had planned on a quiet evening, basically just a brief trip to see each other before Callen returned to L.A.

There was another pause and Callen felt the hesitation in it. He didn’t speak, instead waited for Luc to say what was on his mind - whether it be a reproach or a dismissal. Instead, he got something rather unexpected: “Or I could come to L.A.,” Luc suggested slowly, his voice deceptively even. “I have tomorrow off while you most certainly have to be back at the office early. There’s no sense in you driving up and down for a quick romp and not get any sleep at all.”

Callen blinked. Several things about that statement were worthy of blinking about.

First… “did you just say ‘quick romp’?”

This time the laughter was prominent, a bark of genuine mirth. “I may have,” Luc agreed with a chuckle, the husky tone of voice sliding down Callen’s back like honey.

Callen shook his head with a smirk before he dragged his mind back, sobering slightly.

Luc coming to L.A.

There was a faint feeling of anxiety in that. In the weeks they had casually seen each other so far, Callen hadn’t been forthcoming with allowing the other man into his space in L.A. He was protective not only of his personal safety, but also of his sanctuary. His house might not be decorated or give off the vibe of ‘home’, but it was his and he was fiercely protective of his space. Inviting Luc into that sanctuary came with consequences. And on top of allowing it in the first place, Luc was hinting at staying the night, which was taking this even a step further.

On the other hand, they had been gravitating closer to each other and Callen could admit that he trusted the other man to quite some extent if their physical encounters were anything to go by. Callen had rarely allowed anyone as much leeway with his body as he did Luc.

Making a decision, he drew a slow breath. “Alright,” he agreed softly.

He could hear the surprise, even though Luc tried to hide it when the other repeated his affirmation.

Callen knew he came with more baggage and boundaries than most people and privately he still wondered just when Luc would get tired of it. They hadn’t committed to anything yet and were still in the early stages of… whatever it was they were involved in.

No matter what though, even if he did invite Luc to his place, he wasn’t going to announce his address over the phone or have Luc write it down.

Instead, he gave Luc the address of a small restaurant in Venice. They could grab some food before he took Luc back to his place. This way, he could make sure there was no paper trail to his house and that they weren’t followed.

Xxxxxxx

Glancing around, Callen ushered the other man into the house, closing the door behind them. He passed Luc and made his way further into the open space.

Moments later, Luc joined him, a smirk on his features.

“I like what you’ve done with the place. Kind of homey. Feels a bit crowded though.”

The mirth and irony could easily be heard and Callen rolled his eyes even though Luc wouldn’t be able to see it, standing behind him. “Be a bit more complementary or I won’t show you to the room with the bed but rather to the one with the sleeping bag,” he threatened with a barely concealed grin.

Luc’s arms wound around his waist as the other man stepped closer. “I don’t think that’s gonna deter me. With my luck, maybe it’s an extra wide bag. Then again, maybe it would be better if it was a narrow one,” he whispered suggestively, pressing himself closed against Callen’s body.

Callen swallowed down the rumble of a moan, his mind easily following the breadcrumbs the other man was putting down. He turned in the embrace and his own arms slipped around Luc’s torso, his hands sliding down and into the back pockets of his jeans. This time it was Luc who reacted, inhaling sharply while his hips jerked forward. “Don’t worry, there’s enough space for a quick romp,” Callen murmured against Luc’s lips, smirking at the scoff that escaped the other man before he leaned in for a kiss that quickly deepened.

Xxxxxxx

Callen straightened when the air shifted around him. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Luc standing in the doorway. He couldn’t help the smile that stole over his features - both at the serious case of bed head Luc sported and at having the other man in his space in the first place. The later came as a surprise to him. He hadn’t expected to feel this comfortable with Luc in his space, his sanctuary, but there was a certain contentment in it.

“You weren’t kidding about insomnia, were you?” Luc asked in a gravelly rumble, his voice still thick with sleep.

Callen gave a small shrug, halfway defensive, halfway apologetic. “No, I wasn’t. Sorry if I woke you.”

A small grin settled on Luc’s lips, “you didn’t. Your absence did.”

A scoff escaped him, more laugh than chastening. “That so?”

Luc merely murmured an affirmative while he approached. He stepped up behind Callen and his arms wound around his waist, drawing him back into Luc’s body. Callen allowed his eyes to fall closed at that, Luc’s body heat sinking into him and his scent surrounding him. The body behind him was firm and muscular, physically strong and well toned as was befitting for an elite soldier.

The physical strength aside, there was also strength of character. Luc was strong willed and determined. At the same time he was also flexible and willing to go with the flow if necessary.

Callen had always been drawn to strong characters. Joelle as a kindergarten teacher had been the exception, an interesting contrast to his usual type - for Callen knew it was a type he was attracted to. For him it was strength of character rather than a certain hair color or physical characteristics or even gender.

At the same time, he was careful about the physical strength he found in his partners, more so in a male lover. He had never let gender stand in the way of who he was attracted to, but with a male partner, he was usually the physically dominant one. Not so with Luc. Luc could take him down in two seconds flat if he put his mind to it, something that both worried and thrilled him.

“Was that a toaster?” Luc asked in a murmur, his chin propped up on Callen’s shoulder as his eyes took in the counter’s surface that was littered with bits and pieces of metal, plastic and wires.

Callen smirked, his weight still firmly leaned into the body behind him. “It _is_ a toaster.”

“I’m sure,” Luc gave back, his voice half incredulous and half mocking.

Callen tapped the screwdriver he held against the other man’s forearm that was still wound around his midsection. “No mocking, or there will be no toast for you.”

The arms tightened around his torso, “not interested in toast,” Luc whispered against his skin, his lips millimeters from his neck.

The reaction was instinctive and Callen allowed his head to fall slightly to the side, opening himself up to the other man. He was rewarded with a press of lips which turned to a light scraping of teeth. Callen shivered and reached a hand back, his fingers falling against the back of Luc’s scalp, holding him close.

There was an appreciative murmur at his gesture and Luc pressed closer against his body, the man’s arousal easily felt. Luc kissed his way up and down the side of his neck and Callen remained passive, letting the other man take his fill before he eventually turned, bringing their bodies even closer together. Their lips met and Callen pulled the other in for the kiss, licking into Luc’s mouth after he opened to him. He buried his fingers in Luc’s hair, once more appreciative of his lover’s rebellious streak in going against army regulation length.

There was an easy give and take, both of them leading and letting the other lead in turn.

He slowly started pushing Luc backwards, easing out of the kiss, “bed or sleeping bag?” he asked with a grin, bringing up the conversation from the evening before.

Luc laughed quietly against his mouth, “take your pick. You lead, I’ll follow.”

Callen drew back slightly, taking in the other man’s features, understanding from the way Luc held his gaze and kept his features open, that he was talking about more than a physical place. Callen was an expert at reading body language and facial features and Luc wasn’t exactly making it hard to do so right now. It seemed that Luc was ready to add another dimension of trust. Luc was generally the more trusting of the two of them. Callen wasn’t sure if he could return the favor any time soon - if ever. Still, if Luc trusted him enough to put himself out there, Callen wouldn’t refuse. He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss against Luc’s lips before once more walking him backwards towards the bedroom.

**Author's Note:**

> You probably frowned when you got to the Joelle-kindergarten-teacher-partof this story. Just to let you know:  
> the timeline of this ‘verse is set before we know about Joelle’s real profession (at least at this point in the ‘verse).


End file.
